How farmers get market news and what changes they suggest in the handling of market news is the subject of this study. The information herein was primarily obtained from a survey of 600 Iowa farmers interviewed in April and May 1949. It deals with the way farmers used market news in their last sale of any of six selected commodities before the interview. The importance of this information is indicated by the fact that, in 1948, the six commodities selected accounted for 90 percent of Iowa's cash farm income of $2,121,172,000.

Practically every farmer in the survey had some way of getting day-to-day market news besides personal contact. As of Jan. 1, 1949, 97 percent had radios in working condition, 42 percent had radios in cars and 13 percent had radios in other farm buildings. Eighty-four percent had telephones with which they might get specific market reports and in some cases establish firm prices for their salable products. Eighty-nine percent received daily newspapers which carried market reports for several points.